Will McDonald provides hope for NY Jets pass rush in wake of Jermaine Johnson injury

The NY Jets won their first game of the season on Sunday, escaping with a tight 24-17 win on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Unfortunately, the Jets can't seem to win a game without losing one of their star players.

Standout edge rusher Jermaine Johnson suffered what the Jets believe to be a torn Achilles in the third quarter of Sunday's game. The Jets will run additional tests to confirm, but the expectation is that Johnson will miss the remainder of the season due to his injury.

The loss of Johnson is a significant blow to a Jets defensive line that's already without Haason Reddick. The only saving grace coming out of Sunday's win is that second-year pass rusher Will McDonald seems ready to take on a larger role. And he better be.

McDonald was one of the heroes of Sunday's game, racking up three sacks and a forced fumble, including a crucial sack of Will Levis on the second-to-last play of the game.

The Jets are going to need more of the same from McDonald moving forward, especially if Reddick continues his holdout.

Will McDonald's breakout game gives NY Jets pass rush hope

The 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, McDonald played sparingly as a rookie, playing the fewest offensive/defensive snaps of any player taken in the first round of that year's draft.

McDonald finished with just three sacks in his rookie season. He matched his entire rookie year's sack production in Sunday's win.

The Iowa State product became the first Jets player to record three sacks in a game since 2019 when Jamal Adams did it. McDonald is the first Jets defensive lineman with three sacks in a game since Henry Anderson in 2018.

While his overall performance may not have been quite as dominant as his final stat line indicates, McDonald's clutch fourth-quarter sack was one of the biggest reasons the Jets won this game. His impact should not be understated.

With Johnson sidelined indefinitely and Reddick still MIA, McDonald now becomes one of the most important players on the Jets' defense. The entire defense will be relying on McDonald to be the team's best pass rusher.

It's the role Robert Saleh and the Jets envisioned when they drafted him 15th overall last year. If Sunday's game is any indication, he might just be ready to step into that role.

The Jermaine Johnson injury is a devastating blow to the Jets' defense, but if there is any solace from Sunday's win, it's the sudden emergence of Will McDonald. He's here to stay.

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